Welcome to the Fifteen Minute Novel. Each morning I spend fifteen minutes writing on a singular story line. Each morning starts with the last line of the previous day. The goal is to get a (very) rough draft out of the simple story idea and to avoid letting the story idea languish in limbo forever, actually writing it out. This is the third year I have done this writing experiment and each year I learn just a little bit about myself and the way I write as well as creating a framework for the story. But without further ado…
Day 7: “No,” Sharron said. “You can’t go on your own.”
“No,” Sharron said. “You can’t go on your own.” Sharron looked shocked by the very idea. Somehow the look on her face made, Gwen’s determination hardened.
“I will go on my own and I will look beautiful,” she said. “I will show them that I don’t care that Toby is going with Lisa and that I am perfectly fine on my own.”
“You will do no such thing,” Sharron declared.
“I will,” Gwen fired back.
Sharron squashed her mouth into a thin line. It looked like she sucked on a lemon and was trying to decide if it was lady-like to spit it out or if she would have to swallow it for appearance sake. She quick stepped across the room and grabbed the hanger with the dress.
“That is unacceptable,” Sharron said. “You will only embarrass yourself and this family.”
“No I won’t,” Gwen said. “Give me back my dress.”
“No,” Sharron said she turned and strode out of the room, dress cradled in her arms.
“It’s my dress,” Gwen said. “I paid for it. I even paid to alter it.” She started after Sharron.
“Be that as it may I will not let you embarrass this family.”
“How would my going to the dance alone embarrass anyone?” Gwen asked. In her head the image of her sailing gracefully past Toby and Lisa looking more beautiful than she ever had solidified in her mind. She mentally heard those around them whisper that Toby was a fool to leave someone like her.
She hurried after Sharron. “It isn’t right.” Sharron called back. “It isn’t the way things are done.”
Even in her anger Gwen couldn’t help but roll her eyes. This was not the first time Sharron’s “way things are done’ crossed with reality.
“People will see that I am fine without Toby and no one will be embarrassed,” Gwen said. “Except maybe Lisa and Toby.”
“You would embarrass your best friend on the night she gets engaged?” Again Sharron sounded shocked.
“To my boyfriend, who she was seeing behind my back,” Gwen said. She spat out the words.
“You can’t fight love,” Sharron said.
It was virtually the same thing Lisa said and hearing the words come from Sharron sent Gwen’s temper flaring.
“You would say that,” Gwen shot back before she could stop herself. Sharron’s eyes narrowed and Gwen realized her error. She mentioned that which must never be discussed. “Look just give me back my dress,” she said. She tried to dial back her temper.
Sharron turned and walked briskly to the kitchen. Gwen took a moment to pause and roll her eyes skyward. ‘You know not to mention it,’ she told herself. ‘Stupid to bring it up now.’
Ten til Midnight 